Wall panel and interlocking joint construction



Aug. 1964 J. B. DUNNINGTON 3,145,504

WALL PANEL AND INTERLOCKING JOINT CQNSTRUCTION Filed March 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR- (/0/7 51 00/7/70? f0 By M A TTOKNE K 1964 J. BJDUNNINGTON 3,145,504

WALL PANEL AND INTERLOCKING JOINT CONSTRUCTION Filed March 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENT'OR. (/00 451 film/WW 1- ,//0 Jim.

AZTORNEYJ United States Patent 3,1455% WALL PANEL AND INTERDQCKING .iiJiNT (IGNSTRUCTEON Jon B. Dunnington, Leawood, Kane, assignor to Butler Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Missouri Filed Mar. 24, 61, Ser. N 98,251 2 Ciainis. {(Il. es-45s This invention relates generally to panel members adapted for interconnection to provide a continuous wall structure, and refers more particularly to a novel construction for such panels including the provision of a novel interlocking joint therebetween.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide panels having formed integral therewith novel edge portions which, when brought together in an edgewise direction, complement one another to rigidly secure the panels against further relative movement except in a direction opposite to that in which they were brought together. While I am aware that constructions intended for such purposes have been proposed in the past, the present arrangement has considerable advantage over all of which I am aware in that it provides an exceptionally strong joint which makes possible the use for the major portion of the panel of light weight materials having relatively low shear strength. Through my invention 1 am able to provide panels which can be fitted together to provide a tight, secure and rigid joint therebetween without the use of higher strength backings or joint reinforcing strips, yet in which the material of which the panel is composed is of low strength, particularly in shear. The invention lends itself most advantageously to the formation of panels from materials such as foamed plastics, and other formable or moldable materials capable of being molded while plastic and which take a permanent set on cure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel joint structure which lends itself also to incorporation in prefabricated panels of concrete or like materials.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an edge configuration for panels which is such that it provides a means of obtaining a strong interlocking connection between adjacent panels, yet can be incorporated in the panel with little expense and effort. The edge configuration is such that it can easily be molded into the panel during the manufacture of the panel and provides optimum strength during subsequent shipping and handling so that there is little danger of damage to the interfitting or interlocking components.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a novel joint forming structure which, through the relationship of the interfitting surfaces, provides a joint which inhibits leakage of air therethrough in the direction of the thickness of the joint. It is a feature of the invention in this respect that the joint is so formed as to take full advantage of the insulation properties of the panel material. There are no air gaps in the joint.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a joint structure in which the interfitting components of the joint are so arranged as to present a relatively great area of matching contacting surfaces, and by virtue of which the components can be efliciently secured to one another with an adhesive applied to said surfaces when it is desired to make the joint a permanent connection.

Other and further objects of the invention together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto will up pear in the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, and in which like reference numerals indicate like parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of fragmentary portions of a pair of vertical panels embodying the invention, the panels Patented Aug. 25, 1964 being shown with their interfitting edges separated from one another;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary front view looking toward one face of a pair of such panels, the panels again separated edgewise, and portions of the facing being broken away to expose the joint-forming structure;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary edge view of the left-hand panel of FIGS. 1 and 2, being taken along line 33 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary edge View of the right-hand panel of FIGS. 1 and 2, being taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front view of a completed joint, the facing having been eliminated to show only the core structures of the panels with their interfitting components;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of fragmentary portions of a pair of panels of the type illustrated in the preceding figures, the panels being turned toward the viewer to better show the edge configuration; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view illustrating a corner joint between two intersecting panel units.

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 6, as a typical embodiment of the invention 1 have shown portions of a pair of panel units It) and 10' which are adapted for edgewise connection in a common plane. Each panel is composed of a central core section 11, 11' having laminated thereto a front and rear facing F, F and R, R, respectively. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the core comprises a slab or block of foamed plastic, for example, a rigid polyurethane or polystyrene (Styrofoam) and the facings are plywood.

The confronting edges of the core sections ill, 11' of the panel units are provided with a longtudinally recurring pattern of alternating and contiguous tongues and sockets which are generally individually pyramidal in configuration. To simplify description a detailed consideration will be given first to the edge configuration of the panel 10.

The outer end of each socket is defined by the rectangularly connected edges l3, 14, 15 and 16. The plane of the edges 1346 is inclined at 45 from the longitudinal axis of the panel edge, which in this case is vertical. Extending inwardly from the edges are the triangular side faces 13a, 14a, 15a and 16:! which converge to a common vertex 17 to form a pyramidal cavity. For maximum strength in all directions and ease of connection of the panels with one another, the outer end of the socket is square, that is, the edges 13-16 equal in length, and the opposed lateral faces lie in planes which are normal to one another. In other words, the pyramidal concavity defines a regular rectangular pyramid with its axis inclined at 45 from the vertical.

Each tongue is also pyramidal in shape and is canted from the vertical in the opposite direction from the inclination of the adjacent socket. The tongue in dimensions is substantially the same as that of the socket. One base edge of the tongue is common with that of the socket thereabove, this being the edge 15. The other base edges of the tongue are defined at 18, 19 and edge 13 of the socket therebelow, this again being a common edge between a tongue and socket. The side or lateral faces of the tongue are identified at 15b, 18a, 19a, and 13b (see FIGS. 2 and 3). The vertex of the tongue is identified at Ztl. As is evident, the faces 15b and 13b of the tongue lie respectively in vertical and horizontal planes and thus are parallel, respectively, with faces 13a and 15a of the sockets.

The edge configuration of the panel 10' is identical to that of the panel it except that the tongues and sockets of the latter are horizontally aligned with the sockets and tongues of the former so that when brought together in an edgewise direction the tongues and sockets of the respective panels will interfit with one another. To differentiate between the two panels in the drawings, on the panel it? I have used the same reference numerals to define the various edges, faces and vertices of the tongues and sockets but have accompanied them with a (prime) marking.

it will be noted that in the preferred panel it), the front facing F terminates in a vertical edge 21 wlr'ch is contained generally in the same plane as the vertices 17 and vertical faces 13:: of the sockets, thus leaving that portion of the core in which the tongues and sockets are formed exposed from the front. On the other hand, the rear facing R extends to the outermost limits of the edge configuration, having the vertical edge 22 which is generally in the same plane as the vertices 2t) and vertical faces 15!) of the tongues.

The inverse relationship is followed on the panel the front face terminating in the edge 22 and the rear face R having the inset edge 21.

To effect the joining of the panels 11 and iii they are initially aligned in a common plane with the edges spaced from one another as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The panels are then moved edgewise toward one another in a horizontal direction, thus to cause the tongues of one panel to progressively nest within the sockets of the adjacent panel. It will be evident that when completely nested, the lateral faces of the tongues register with and confront the lateral faces of the sockets in closely abutting relationship. In other words, the faces 13a, 14a, 15a and 16a of the sockets of panel 10 will match the faces 15b, 19a, 13b and 18a, respectively, of the tongues of panel 16', and the tongue faces 15b, Ida, 1% and 13b of panel 10 will register with and match the socket faces 13a, 14a, 15a and 611 of panel 10'. Similarly, the opposed facing edges 21, 22 and 22, 21 of the panel faces will be in abutment, completely concealing the joint from view.

By providing the unique complemental pyramidal arrangement of the surfaces of the joint, the panels are not only effectively restrained against vertical or lateral separation, but also the loads imposed are distributed so that a relatively low loading per unit of area is achieved in all directions. In other words, in my joint arrangement the area of surface contact between the complemental portions of the joint is considerably greater than any other joint arrangement of which I am aware, and this is true as to all loads imposed except those which tend to separate the panels edgewise. The plurality of inclined faces assists also in effecting the connection, serving to gradually guide the panels together in a true common plane.

The great expanse of contacting surface area in my joint also provides considerable advantage where it is desired to permanently connect the panels against edgewise separation, once the joint is formed. In this case, a suitable adhesive can be coated onto the faces of the tongues and sockets prior to merging of the panels. Since there are a number of faces having horizontal components of direction, maximum advantage of the shear strength of the adhesive is achieved.

The seam or joint line, once the panels are joined, comprises a neat sawtooth line, as is evident from FIG. 5. Thus, even if the facings are omitted there is no loss of attractiveness. While for optimum strength the facings may be employed, nevertheless, even without them the joint is stronger for any given material than those heretofore used Thus, the edge configuration may conveniently be employed on unfaced prefabricated slabs or panels of concrete and like materials.

It will be evident that for any given panel to be used in conjunction with like panels to provide a continuous wall or surface, both vertical edges of the panel will be formed with an edge configuration as described above, with one edge conforming to the arrangement of FIG. 3,

and the other to the arrangement of FIG. 4. In other words, the left end of panel it) will conform with the left end of panel 1%, and the right end of panel 10' with the left end of panel 1%. Thus, the units can be connected together with the upper and lower edges coterrninous.

FIG. 7 illustrates the application of the joint construction to a corner post C. The pyramidal configuration is formed at C and C in two sides of the post so that panels 19 and it? can be connected therewith. It will be evident that additional joint forming edges can be added to the post to make it a T or quadrilateral intersection of the walls.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a panel assembly, a first elongate panel member having an edge, said edge being formed with a pattern of longitudinally recurring alternating and contiguous tongues and sockets, each socket having four triangular side faces forming a rectangular pyramidal concavity and each tongue having four triangular side faces forming a rectangular pyramidal projection, one side face of each tongue having a common base edge with a side face of the adjacent socket, said side faces which have a common base edge lying in planes substantially normal to one another and which intersect along said common base edge, and a second panel member having an edge formed with similar tongues and sockets, the tongues and sockets of the second panel member interfitting with the tongues and sockets of the first member whereby to cause the tongues of one panel member to nest in the sockets of the other panel member with the side faces of each in parallel confronting relationship.

2. A wall panel unit having a pair of opposed parallel side edges, each side edge being formed with a pattern of longitudinally recurring alternating and contiguous tongues and sockets, each socket having four triangular side faces forming a rectangular pyramidal concavity and each tongue having four triangular side faces forming a rectangular pyramidal projection, one side face of each tongue having a common base edge with a side face of the adjacent socket, said side faces which have a common base edge lyin in planes substantially normal to one another and which intersect along said common base edge, the tongues and sockets of each edge being adapted to interfit in nesting relationship with the tongues and sockets of a like unit whereby to form a joint between the units wherein the side faces of the respective tongues and sockets are in abutting relationship and are operable to prevent movement of said units in any direction relative to one another except that which results in edgewise separation of the units.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 903,907 Soss Nov. 17, 1908 1,045,328 Sammis Nov. 26, 1912 2,882,714 Gagle et al. Apr. 21, 1959 2,887,732 Kloote et a1. May 26, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,217,770 France ...I Dec. 14, 1959 

1. IN A PANEL ASSEMBLY, A FIRST ELONGATE PANEL MEMBER HAVING AN EDGE, SAID EDGE BEING FORMED WITH A PATTERN OF LONGITUDINALLY RECURRING ALTERNATING AND CONTIGUOUS TONGUES AND SOCKETS, EACH SOCKET HAVING FOUR TRIANGULAR SIDE FACES FORMING A RECTANGULAR PYRAMIDAL CONCAVITY AND EACH TONGUE HAVING FOUR TRIANGULAR SIDE FACES FORMING A RECTANGULAR PYRAMIDAL PROJECTION, ONE SIDE FACE OF EACH TONGUE HAVING A COMMON BASE EDGE WITH A SIDE FACE OF THE ADJACENT SOCKET, SAID SIDE FACES WHICH HAVE A COMMON BASE EDGE LYING IN PLANES SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO ONE ANOTHER AND WHICH INTERSECT ALONG SAID COMMON BASE EDGE, AND A SECOND PANEL MEMBER HAVING AN EDGE FORMED WITH SIMILAR TONGUES AND SOCKETS, THE TONGUES AND SOCKETS OF THE SECOND PANEL MEMBER INTERFITTING WITH THE TONGUES AND SOCKETS OF THE FIRST MEMBER WHEREBY TO CAUSE THE TONGUES OF ONE PANEL MEMBER TO NEST IN THE SOCKETS OF THE OTHER PANEL MEMBER WITH THE SIDE FACES OF EACH IN PARALLEL CONFRONTING RELATIONSHIP. 